In most cases white lamps have been used as the light source of the projector that modulates light emitted from a light source by use of a modulating element to project the modulated light. Recently, as the light source of the projector, solid-state light sources such as LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) and laser light sources have come to be used.
Patent Document 1 (JP2009-277516A) and Patent Document 2 (JP2010-85740) disclose projectors that use blue semiconductor lasers as the light source. In Patent Documents 1 and 2, the projectors include a fluorescent wheel of a circular substrate that is rotatably provided and divided into three sectorial segment areas that are formed with a red-light emitting phosphor, green-light emitting phosphor and blue-light emitting phosphor, respectively. Irradiation of the laser light emitted from the blue semiconductor laser on partial areas of the fluorescent wheel causes red light, green light and blue light to be emitted time-divisionally, so that these color light are successively irradiated on a DMD (Digital Mirror Device), which modulates and projects each color light in accordance with the signal component corresponding to the color of light.
In general, in order to obtain high luminance fluorescence, the power of excitation light may and should be increased. In order to enhance the power of the excitation light, the number of semiconductor lasers may and should be increased. Accordingly, projection of high luminance light can be performed in the projectors disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.